undocumented immigrantsNPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94Stories from Michigan Radio.NPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94undocumented immigrantsThu, 24 Nov 2016 10:02:33 +0000undocumented immigrantshttp://michiganradio.org
Dustin Dwyer The Salvation Army is a crucial resource for many people all year round. It provides housing assistance, food assistance, utility assistance and all kinds of other help to people in need.And around the holidays, that effort ramps up with Christmas assistance.Mary Wilkins is the social services director for the Salvation Army Western Michigan Clearing up the confusion about who can get Christmas assistance from local Salvation Armyhttp://michiganradio.org/post/clearing-confusion-about-who-can-get-christmas-assistance-local-salvation-army
28957 as http://michiganradio.orgWed, 23 Nov 2016 21:44:43 +0000Clearing up the confusion about who can get Christmas assistance from local Salvation ArmySarah CwiekCivil rights groups and faith leaders say they stand ready to oppose some of Donald Trump’s expected policies. They displayed a united front and laid out plans for action in Detroit on Monday. The plans range from rounding up attorneys and other volunteers to defend families facing deportation, to clergy pledging “sanctuary” for them. Sergio Martinez, an undocumented immigrant living in Detroit, says his community is “scared to death” right now. But Martinez says it’s also a “resilient” community that’s won some major victories and allies under President Obama—particularly the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which provides some measure of protection for undocumented people brought to the U.S. as young children. “We owe it to ourselves to keep fighting because of all the progress that we’ve made in the past eight years,” Martinez said. Activists also vowed to fight racist bullying in schools, saying there’s been a sharp uptick in reported incidents since just lastActivists, clergy vow to stand against hate incidents, fight Trump policieshttp://michiganradio.org/post/activists-clergy-vow-stand-against-hate-incidents-fight-trump-policies
28833 as http://michiganradio.orgTue, 15 Nov 2016 02:33:36 +0000Activists, clergy vow to stand against hate incidents, fight Trump policiesTracy SamiltonA Detroit immigration attorney accused of bribing a federal special agent is also being accused of defrauding former clients.Attorney Brad Thomson represents some of Charles Busse's former clients. He says Busse made promises he couldn't keep, filed unnecessary documents, and that some people were deported to their home countries because of his mistakes.Thomson says given the federal charges facing Busse, there may not be much money left over for his clients, and it may be difficult or impossible to reopen some deported immigrants' cases. But he says they deserve to be heard and helped as much as possible."It's not only an economic thing, but a moral principle that there is justice here in the American dream," says Thomson. "Because especially for undocumented immigrants, they are the most vulnerable population here in the United States." Thomson says the State Bar of Michigan may be able to help some of his clients recover a portion of their attorney's fees. The Bar maintains a fundImmigration attorney faces client grievances, lawsuits, and federal bribery chargeshttp://michiganradio.org/post/immigration-attorney-faces-client-grievances-lawsuits-and-federal-bribery-charges
28564 as http://michiganradio.orgThu, 27 Oct 2016 21:33:50 +0000Immigration attorney faces client grievances, lawsuits, and federal bribery chargesStateside Staff So often we hear people say, "Our immigration system is broken." But what exactly does that mean? In this State of Opportunity special, we hear answers to that question from various angles. Waiting for change: Stories from America's broken immigration systemhttp://michiganradio.org/post/waiting-change-stories-americas-broken-immigration-system
27461 as http://michiganradio.orgWed, 10 Aug 2016 23:24:49 +0000Waiting for change: Stories from America's broken immigration systemTracy SamiltonAdvocates for undocumented immigrants say a Supreme Court decision hurts millions of families in the U.S.In a tie vote, the Supreme Court let stand a lower court ruling that blocked the president's executive order on immigration.President Obama wanted to stop deportations of undocumented parents with legal resident children. Attorney Ruby Robinson is with the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center. Robinson says undocumented residents of the U.S. live with tremendous day-to-day insecurity and fear. "Every day when that (undocumented) parent goes to work or the child goes to school, there is no guarantee that the parent will be in the house when that child returns," says Robinson. And he says everyone, not just immigrants, stood to gain from the executive order."We don't want children to grow up in the United States without parents, we don't want them to be reliant on social services safety nets if a parent is deported. We want families to be together," he says.Robinson says there are aboutMany Michigan undocumented immigrants' hopes dashed by Supreme Court decisionhttp://michiganradio.org/post/many-michigan-undocumented-immigrants-hopes-dashed-supreme-court-decision
26879 as http://michiganradio.orgThu, 23 Jun 2016 21:37:48 +0000Many Michigan undocumented immigrants' hopes dashed by Supreme Court decisionJack LessenberryIt now seems nearly certain that one of our major political parties is going to nominate a presidential candidate who has pledged to deport every undocumented person in this nation. Experts say that’s about 11 million people. This has struck terror into the heart of one woman I know, who is not from Mexico, but Eastern Europe, who cleans houses and takes care of her husband and little daughter She’s been living in fear for years anyway. Whenever she goes to work, she knows she is just one traffic stop from potential deportation. I knew her for years before she confided the truth about her status. When I suggested she see an immigration attorney at a legal aid clinic, she even seemed paranoid about that. When I assured her they wouldn’t turn her in, she asked how a free attorney could possibly be any good. Her life is bad enough. But now think how bad it is for undocumented immigrants in Flint. Flint wasn’t a hotbed of illegal immigration even before the water was poisoned. There havenThe undocumented and the inhumanehttp://michiganradio.org/post/undocumented-and-inhumane-0
26132 as http://michiganradio.orgWed, 27 Apr 2016 15:56:49 +0000The undocumented and the inhumaneDustin Dwyer The U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments today on President Obama's executive actions on immigration. The case could affect thousands of immigrants in Michigan. And some immigrant rights activists made the trip to Washington to make sure their voices are heard. "Sometimes we just stand on the sidelines,” said Jacqueline Lopez, a student at Grand Rapids Community College, as she was about to board a DC-bound bus. “And this is just a way to be out there and stand with our community." Obama's executive orders shielded millions of people in the U.S. illegally, who don’t have criminal records and who have kids who are U.S. citizens, from deportation. Critics of the president's actions will argue that he exceeded his authority. Dennis Martinez also attends GRCC. He says he has friends who will be affected by the ruling. “I'm hoping to show that the Hispanic community is impacting the United States in a way that we do care and we understand that this affects us,” he said. “And weLocal immigrant rights advocates travel to DC for Supreme Court argumentshttp://michiganradio.org/post/local-immigrant-rights-advocates-travel-dc-supreme-court-arguments
26011 as http://michiganradio.orgMon, 18 Apr 2016 09:02:00 +0000Local immigrant rights advocates travel to DC for Supreme Court argumentsSarah CwiekSome metro Detroit families and faith leaders are headed to the U.S. Supreme Court next month, to take part in a national rally supporting President Obama’s immigration policy. The Court is set to hear arguments on the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA) plan, which Obama created via a 2014 executive order. It would protect many undocumented immigrants with U.S. citizen children from deportation. But a Texas court put a freeze on the plan, allowing a legal challenge by a number of state attorneys general, including Michigan’s Bill Schuette. They argue the president overstepped his constitutional authority with the order. But immigrant activists counter that immigration policy has historically been a prerogative of the Executive Branch. And they say delaying programs like DAPA that’s caused further suffering and separation of families, including some in Michigan. Melissa Guillen is a U.S. citizen, and so are her four children. Her father and husband have already beenMichigan families, clergy to rally for immigration reform planhttp://michiganradio.org/post/michigan-families-clergy-rally-immigration-reform-plan
25671 as http://michiganradio.orgWed, 16 Mar 2016 22:07:34 +0000Michigan families, clergy to rally for immigration reform planSarah CwiekA suburban Detroit couple is facing federal charges for “harboring undocumented immigrants for commercial gain.” The charges come after five young men, aged 16-23, died in a fire at Roger Tam and Ada Lei’s home last month. Officials say the men were all Mexican nationals in the U.S. illegally. They apparently lived in the Novi home’s basement, and worked at the couple’s nearby Chinese restaurant, Kim's Garden. They were unable to escape when a mattress caught fire there Jan. 31. Novi police chief David Molloy said the fire’s cause is still officially “undetermined,” though officials haven’t ruled out careless smoking. Investigators noted several fire code violations, and Molloy said a smoke detector had been disabled, though it’s not clear who disabled it. Molloy said it appears the men cooked and slept in the basement, and neighbors in the quiet subdivision were apparently unaware they even lived there. “It seems they would work 12, 13, 14 hour days. They would be picked up by Mr. TamNovi couple faces charges in fire that killed five; case raises "human smuggling" worrieshttp://michiganradio.org/post/novi-couple-faces-charges-fire-killed-five-case-raises-human-smuggling-worries
25258 as http://michiganradio.orgFri, 12 Feb 2016 22:50:03 +0000Novi couple faces charges in fire that killed five; case raises "human smuggling" worriesKate WellsDetroiters could be able to get a city-issued ID card later this year. That could help homeless people, senior citizens, undocumented immigrants – anybody who may not be able to provide a birth certificate or Social Security card. Detroiters could get city IDs this year http://michiganradio.org/post/detroiters-could-get-city-ids-year
23017 as http://michiganradio.orgFri, 31 Jul 2015 22:00:20 +0000Detroiters could get city IDs this year Tracy Samilton President Barack Obama's recent executive order on immigration could be a boost for Michigan's economy, according to a panel of experts convened by Michigan United, a coalition of faith, labor, business, social service, and civil rights members. The order allows undocumented parents of children legally in the U.S. to apply for a temporary work permit, as long as they have resided in the U.S. for five years or more, undergo a criminal background check, and pay taxes. "It serves as a form of economic stimulus," says Thomas Weiskopff, a University of Michigan economist, "increasing productivity, output, consumer buying power, tax revenues and jobs." Between 100,000 and 150,000 undocumented workers are in Michigan, many of them migrant farm workers, which means, says Weiskopff, they rarely compete with native residents for jobs. Patrick Oakford, a policy analyst at the Center for American Progress, says Michigan stands to collect an additional $49.3 million in taxes over the next fiveExperts say executive order on immigration good for Michiganhttp://michiganradio.org/post/experts-say-executive-order-immigration-good-michigan
20328 as http://michiganradio.orgThu, 18 Dec 2014 22:24:02 +0000Experts say executive order on immigration good for MichiganSteve CarmodyThis week, activists will ask Lansing city leaders to adopt a resolution welcoming thousands of undocumented children who’ve entered the U.S. this year. Since the beginning of the year, more than 50,000 children from Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador have crossed the southern United States border illegally. Most remain in overcrowded detention centers as their immigration status is reviewed. During the past month, anti-immigration groups have held vocal protests against efforts to bring undocumented children to Michigan. Father Fred Thelen of Lansing’s Cristo Rey Church says he’s disturbed by the tenor of those protests directed against children fleeing poverty and violence in their home countries. “We are losing our soul as a nation,” Thelen told a crowd at his Lansing church last week. "We might as well dump the Statue of Liberty into the bottom of the sea.” Thelen’s part of a group of clergy and immigration activists who plan to ask the Lansing City Council Monday evening to passLansing city leaders are being asked to welcome undocumented child immigrantshttp://michiganradio.org/post/lansing-city-leaders-are-being-asked-welcome-undocumented-child-immigrants
18493 as http://michiganradio.orgSun, 27 Jul 2014 15:43:00 +0000Lansing city leaders are being asked to welcome undocumented child immigrantsJack Lessenberry I’ve always had a warm place in my heart for the sugar beet country of Michigan’s Thumb. Years ago, I used to take graduate journalism students to Caro for a day where they would put out a special edition of the Tuscola County Advertiser. The folks there were open, friendly, warm-hearted, and hard-working, but I have to say I’m ashamed of some of them today. They are disgracing our state and reminding us of some of the ugliest chapters in American history. Here’s why: Thousands of children and teenagers have been turning up at the United States’ southern border over the last few months. We are, if you’ve forgotten, a nation founded by refugees and which, to this very day, has remained open to those seeking political asylum. That’s the beautiful part of our legacy. The ugly part is that far too many of us think our ancestors were the last immigrants who should have been allowed in. That’s been reflected throughout our history in signs that said “No Irish need apply,” communities thatSome think their immigrant ancestors were the last that should be allowed in the U.S.http://michiganradio.org/post/some-think-their-immigrant-ancestors-were-last-should-be-allowed-us
18392 as http://michiganradio.orgWed, 16 Jul 2014 14:51:15 +0000Some think their immigrant ancestors were the last that should be allowed in the U.S.Steve CarmodyThe courts may be the next step for groups fighting plans to bring dozens of undocumented children to a facility in Michigan. Tens of thousands of undocumented children have flooded across the southern U.S. border since the beginning of the year. Wolverine Human Services is negotiating a contract to bring up to 120 boys between 12 and 17 years of age to its facility in Vassar, Michigan. Dozens of people staged a protest outside the Wolverine facility today. Tamyra Murray is with Michiganders for Immigration Control and Enforcement. She says their opposition will continue, even if Wolverine gets its contract. “If them kids do come here, we can try to pass legislation so they have no rights to social services or they can not get tax dollars for education,” says Murray. Murray says they are eyeing a possible lawsuit challenging Wolverine’s zoning. Derrick McCree is a Senior Vice President with Wolverine. "We projected and predicted that we would get resistance," McCree said last week. The battle continues over bringing undocumented children to Michiganhttp://michiganradio.org/post/battle-continues-over-bringing-undocumented-children-michigan-0
18374 as http://michiganradio.orgTue, 15 Jul 2014 00:34:45 +0000The battle continues over bringing undocumented children to MichiganEmily Fox This Week in Michigan Politics, Emily Fox and Jack Lessenberry discuss Michigan's ruling on how juvenile lifers will not get a chance at parole, pay raises for city leaders in bankrupt Detroit, and what role Michigan could play in housing undocumented minors crossing the Mexico border. The week in Michigan politicshttp://michiganradio.org/post/week-michigan-politics-58
18311 as http://michiganradio.orgWed, 09 Jul 2014 16:06:04 +0000The week in Michigan politicsSarah CwiekMichigan will probably receive some refugee children from Central America—but not an “overwhelming number” of them, according to one immigrant rights advocate. About 50,000 unaccompanied minors, mostly from Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador, have overwhelmed the southern border in recent months. Most say they’re fleeing mounting gang violence, chronic poverty, and social breakdown in those countries. The federal government is looking nationwide for places to house the kids while they’re being processed. One possible location: a “secure facility” in Vassar, a small community in Michigan’s Thumb area. Wolverine Human Services, the agency that runs the facility, says it doesn’t have a deal with the federal government at present. And the US Department of Homeland Security has said it doesn’t release location details about those facilities for safety reasons. Susan Reed, supervising attorney for the Michigan Center for Immigrant Rights, says there’s actually a good reason for that. “It’sSome children fleeing Central American violence may be headed to Michiganhttp://michiganradio.org/post/some-children-fleeing-central-american-violence-may-be-headed-michigan
18267 as http://michiganradio.orgSat, 05 Jul 2014 12:00:00 +0000Some children fleeing Central American violence may be headed to MichiganMichigan Radio NewsroomAt a congressional hearing today, Michigan congresswoman Candice Miller weighed in on the massive influx of unaccompanied children smuggled into the United States through the Mexican border. A situation Congress has called a "humanitarian crisis." More than 50,000 children have come across the border in the last year alone. About three-quarters come from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. These children are sent alone north through Mexico, usually by paying drug cartels huge sums of money.The Republican, who represents Michigan's 10th Congressional District, said the problem is with America's immigration policy. "I think that this humanitarian crisis can be laid directly at the feet of President Obama as a result of his DACA policy in 2012."DACA stands for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. The 2012 memo from President Obama directed law enforcement to use discretion with undocumented people who came to the U.S. as children before 2007.But the Department of Homeland SecurityA "humanitarian crisis" at the U.S.-Mexico borderhttp://michiganradio.org/post/humanitarian-crisis-us-mexico-border
18128 as http://michiganradio.orgTue, 24 Jun 2014 22:30:48 +0000A "humanitarian crisis" at the U.S.-Mexico borderEmily FoxFrom urban farming in Detroit, the Traverse City Cherry Festival, to farmers markets in hundreds of Michigan cities, this state prides itself on its agriculture. And we should. We are the most agriculturally diverse state, behind only California. And after manufacturing, agriculture is the states largest industry. But when you see that Michigan seal on apples and blueberries and cherries in the grocery store, do you ever wonder who are the faces and voices behind these products? In this documentary, well hear from these farm workers that bring these fruits and vegetables to our tables. Well hear about the struggle for fair wages, good housing and how the immigration debate can affect the lives of the 94,000 migrant workers and their families in Michigan. Below is the full audio of the documentary Voices from the fields: Migrant workers in Michiganhttp://michiganradio.org/post/voices-fields-migrant-workers-michigan
14779 as http://michiganradio.orgWed, 09 Oct 2013 16:10:29 +0000Voices from the fields: Migrant workers in MichiganEmily FoxThis week, Im posting segments from my documentary, Voices from the Fields, a story of migrant workers in Michigan. It airs today on Stateside. Migrant work is one of the only jobs available to undocumented workers in the U.S. An estimated 50 to 70 percent of farm workers in the U.S. are undocumented, and this causes problems not only for the workers, but for employers too. What happens when more than half of migrant workers are undocumentedhttp://michiganradio.org/post/what-happens-when-more-half-migrant-workers-are-undocumented
14685 as http://michiganradio.orgWed, 09 Oct 2013 13:00:00 +0000What happens when more than half of migrant workers are undocumentedMichigan Radio NewsroomMichigan will pay less than average for health insurance "The Obama administration says Michigan residents required to shop for health insurance starting next week will pay an average $306 a month - before tax credits - for a mid-range benchmark plan. That's below the national average of $328 and ranks 29th-lowest out of 47 states for which data was available," the Associated Press reports. Wayne State University to offer in-state tutition for undocumented students "Wayne State University will begin offering in-state tuition to undocumented students. The decision came as part of a policy change that ties tuition to students' high school diplomas, instead of their residency status," Michigan Radio reports. Snyder not running yet, but his campaign ads are "The first campaign ad in the race for Michigan governor will start airing today. Governor Rick Snyder is launching his ad campaign before he’s formally announced he’s a candidate," Rick Pluta reports. In this morning's headlines: $306 for health care, Gov. ads, in-state tuition for undocumentedhttp://michiganradio.org/post/mornings-headlines-306-health-care-gov-ads-state-tuition-undocumented
14576 as http://michiganradio.orgWed, 25 Sep 2013 11:44:46 +0000In this morning's headlines: $306 for health care, Gov. ads, in-state tuition for undocumented